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| Kestrel |
Following on from Saturday's success in adding a couple of new species to my Dundee145 list I decided to try Riverside Nature Park on Sunday to see if I could find something else - maybe a Sedge Warbler or a Lesser Whitethroat. Lesser Whitethroats have bred at the park previously but for reasons unknown apparently stopped doing so after just a few years. Every year I check the likeliest sites in the park, just in case they have returned though so far without any luck. Another possibility was a wader species, maybe a Spotted Redshank or a Whimbrel. Last Spring, a Little Stint showed up, which is more often an Autumn bird, though still a very irregular visitor. The important thing was that there were possibilities of getting something new.
Despite the return of something resembling enthusiasm to get out birding it was still 1005 before I headed outside. Blue Tit, Hering Gull, Dunnock, House Sparrow and Goldfinch provided the initial burst of species to get the list for the day underway. Carrion Crow, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Starling, Woodpigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Feral Pigeon, and Magpie provided a steady stream of species as I headed for the Law, where I hoped there might be a chance of a migrant in the trees on the slopes of the hill. Song Thrush, Blackcap, Willow Warbler, Wren, Chiffchaff, Goldcrest, Chaffinch and a few Rabbits were around but there was nothing out of the ordinary to be found.
Great Tit was noted as I made my way down the Law Steps. Cutting through Victoria Park on the south side of Balgay Hill added a Jay to the list with Long Tailed Tit a bit further on. Greenfinch was heard on Ninewells Avenue with Jackdaw, Rook, Coal Tit, Oystercatcher and Stock Dove all being found in the grounds of the hospital as I cut through. I had decided to head for the Invergowrie end of the park first of all, to check the bay and then to work my way back through the park. It was 1130 before I finally reached the wsetern park entrance. Blackbird, Blue Tit, Chiffchaff, Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon, and Feral Pigeon were all spotted almost immediately while down in the bay I could see Shelduck, Redshank, Common Gull, Herring Gull and Oystercatcher.
Further scanning produced a few more species including an overflying Sand Martin, Teal, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Black Headed Gull, Mute Swan, Curlew and Mallard. Goldfinch and Song Thrush soon joined the other species on the fast growing list, as did a singing Skylark. A small group of Redshanks in the burn outflow were joined by a single Curlew. I then realised that there was a Common Sandpiper stood on the shore amongst the Redshanks. A welcome Dundee145 tick. With vegetation increasingly blocking the already limited view of the burn, I had to try one of the other openings in the screen to have a look at one end of the small Redshank flock. This proved to be a good idea as there was a Greenshank sleeping at that end of the group. Year-tick number 2, and one that isn't always particularly easy to get (though it is probably the commonest of the less common waders we get at the park).
A Jackdaw, a Rook and a Stock Dove all dropped in for either a bath or a drink. A couple of Swallows swept past heading towards Invergowrie. A Robin popped out on a branch in front of the hide. A Blackcap scolded loudly from within the bushes behind me. A Magpie lurked nearby and an Osprey flew a quick circuit of the bay but had disappeared by the time I had run up to the bridge to try to get a better view of the bird (hopefully) fishing. A Greenfinch added to the expanding list and a slightly unexpected House Sparrow was spotted in the brambles halfway between the hide and the burn. A House Martin circled a few times before continuing on its way and a Chaffinch was in the bushes as I headed backup to the main path.
Great Tit, Willow Warbler, Yellowhammer and Wren were all to be found along the path back from the hide towards the path junction. From near the picnic tables I picked out a Cormorant down in the bay. A few Whitethroats provided relatively brief views as I continued around the foot of the hill. A party of 4 Linnets were in the small trees by the wooden gate as I continued my circuit of the upper half of the park. A Moorhen was at the Lochan and a couple of Starlings flew past as I searched in vain for a Wood Sandpiper or a Little Ringed Plover. I wandered back round fto have another look at the bay as the tide receded further. A flock of summer plumaged Black Tailed Godwits and a relatively small flock of Dunlin gave me a couple of new species for the day's list. A low flying Kestrel carrying a vole was a welcome surprise (though not for the vole). A Dunnock appeared behind me and a small group of Bar Tailed Godwits were also spotted down by the edges of the mud.
I then had a run-in with a rather ill-tempered older gent whose aged dog's apparent fearful demeanour suggested it may be on the receiving end of his short temper at times, following his (and his wife's) descent down the front of the hill. The interaction eventually resulted in him threatening me with a spot of violence. Apparently us 'twitchers' are all the same and should mind our own business. I was tempted to point out that if I was a 'twitcher' I would've been elsewhere watching much rarer birds than Greenshank, Common Sandpiper and Osprey. If he doesn't want to meet 'twitchers' then perhaps a nature park is not the best place to visit, and if he doesn't want to be challenged for ignoring the multiple signs dotted around, perhaps he shouldn't ignore them....
A Buzzard and a Sparrowhawk were soon added to the north. A Grey Heron landed down on the pipe and the male Pheasant was heard from its usual 'corner'. I had set myself a target of 50 species at the park, though by this time I had surpassed that mark though there were still a few species I was missing. Of these, Long Tailed Tit and Reed Bunting were found as I headed for the exit as was a Pied Wagtail. I wandered along the edge of the access road and spooked a bird from the bushes which looked to be a very young Song Thrush fledgling. I finished my visit to the park with a total of 56 species which is a fairly decent haul for a Spring visit. The walk back home added a Swallow and a Collared Dove taking the 'outwith the park' list for the day to 31. The combined day total was 60 species (including 2 year & Dundee145 ticks, in bold) with some nice variety in the mix.
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Redshank & Common Sandpiper
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Stock Dove
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Redshank, Curlew & Greenshank
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Mute Swan
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| Greenshank |
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| Rook |
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| Osprey |
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Sand Martin
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Common Gull
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| Blackcap |
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| Chiffchaff |
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| Goldfinch |
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| Blackbird |
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| Cormorant |
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| Linnet |
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Black Tailed Godwit
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| Swallow |
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| Teal |
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Carrion Crow
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| Yellowhammer |
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Reed Bunting
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| Oystercatcher |
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Song Thrush
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Birds (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Coal Tit, Collared Dove, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Hering Gull, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Jay, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Oystercatcher, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Song Thrush, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Willow warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren.
Mammals (outwith Riverside Nature Park) - Rabbit.
Birds (At Riverside Nature Park) - Bar Tailed Godwit, Blackbird, Blackcap, Black Headed Gull, Black Tailed Godwit, Blue Tit, Buzzard, Carrion Crow, Chaffinch, Chiffchaff, Common Gull, Common Sandpiper, Cormorant, Curlew, Dunlin, Dunnock, Goldfinch, Great Tit, Greenfinch, Greenshank, Grey Heron, Herring Gull, House Martin, House Sparrow, Jackdaw, Kestrel, Lesser Black Backed Gull, Linnet, Long Tailed Tit, Magpie, Mallard, Moorhen, Mute Swan, Osprey, Oystercatcher, Pheasant, Pied Wagtail, Redshank, Reed Bunting, Robin, Feral Pigeon, Rook, Sand Martin, Shelduck, Skylark, Song thrush, Sparrowhawk, Starling, Stock Dove, Swallow, Teal, Whitethroat, Willow Warbler, Woodpigeon, Wren, Yellowhammer.
